Medical Data Protection: Secure Your Health Records

About 9 min read

Medical data contains extremely sensitive information including medical history, prescriptions, test results, and genetic information, in addition to general personal information such as names and addresses. Once leaked, it cannot be revoked, and damage is long-lasting, including impacts on insurance enrollment, job hunting, and exploitation for fraud. According to IBM's 2024 survey, the average cost per data breach in the healthcare industry is approximately $9.77 million, the highest across all industries for 14 consecutive years. As of 2025, ransomware attacks targeting medical institutions continue to increase, and the risk of electronic medical record system outages directly affecting patient lives is being recognized anew. This article explains why medical data is targeted and how to protect healthcare accounts using Passtsuku.com.

Why Medical Data Is Targeted

Medical data is traded on the dark web at 10 to 40 times the price of credit card information. While credit card information sells for about $1 to $5 per record, medical records have been reported selling for $50 to $250 per record. This price difference exists because medical data has a wider range of exploitation. Attackers use stolen medical information for fraudulent insurance claims, illegal acquisition of prescription drugs, and using medical services through identity theft. Credit cards can stop damage by changing the number, but medical history and genetic information cannot be changed, making the damage essentially permanent.

Furthermore, the security posture of medical institutions is often weaker compared to financial institutions, making them easier targets for attackers. While the adoption of electronic medical record systems progresses, the proportion of IT budgets allocated to security investment is said to be about half that of the financial industry, and many medical institutions have not kept up with their defenses.

To systematically learn about medical information protection, medical information security guides (Amazon)can be helpful.

Main Routes of Medical Data Leaks

Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware attacks targeting medical institutions are increasing worldwide. When electronic medical record systems are encrypted, medical care stops, and attackers believe that institutions are more likely to pay ransoms because the situation can develop into a life-threatening emergency for patients. In 2021, a hospital in Tokushima Prefecture, Japan was infected with ransomware, and electronic medical records were unusable for approximately two months. Recovery costs reportedly reached approximately 200 million yen. An important point is that even if the ransom is paid, there is no guarantee that data will be fully restored, and cases of being attacked again after payment have also been reported.

Insider Leaks

Cases of healthcare workers and administrative staff improperly taking out patient data they have access to through their work have also been reported. According to Verizon's DBIR 2024, approximately 35% of data breaches in the healthcare industry involve insiders. Proper management of access privileges and monitoring of operation logs are important. Based on the principles of access control, setting strong passwords for individual accounts and avoiding the use of shared accounts are fundamental measures. An easily overlooked point is that accounts of former employees remain active without being disabled, and it is necessary to reliably conduct account audits at the time of departure.

Vulnerabilities in Telemedicine Platforms

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of telemedicine has expanded rapidly. According to statistics from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of medical institutions offering telemedicine increased from approximately 10,000 in 2020 to approximately 25,000 in 2023. Accordingly, telemedicine platform accounts have become attack targets. If a patient's account is hijacked, not only can medical history and prescription information be leaked, but it can also be exploited for fraudulent acquisition of prescription drugs through identity theft.

What You Should Actually Do

Protecting medical data requires higher standards than general account protection. Beginners should change passwords for telemedicine services and health management apps to 20 characters or more on Passtsuku.com and enable two-factor authentication. Intermediate users should also strengthen their My Number Portal password, review health management app permission settings, and delete accounts for unnecessary apps. Understanding encryption basics helps you evaluate how well services protect your data. Be aware that phishing attacks targeting healthcare are increasing, and a data breach of medical records has permanent consequences. Healthcare organizations must also ensure compliance with data protection regulations.

Specific Measures to Protect Healthcare Accounts

Strengthening Telemedicine Account Passwords

For telemedicine service accounts, generate and set a password of 20 characters or more on Passtsuku.com. Considering the importance of medical data, higher strength than typical web services is required. Include all four character types - uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols - and aim for 100 bits or more of entropy on the strength meter. A 20-character random password (95 character types) has approximately 131 bits of entropy, making it virtually impossible to crack with current computing power.

Health Management App Security Settings

Health management apps such as pedometers, blood pressure trackers, and medication management apps also accumulate personal health information. Set unique strong passwords for these app accounts as well, and always enable two-factor authentication if available. It is also important to check app permission settings and restrict access to unnecessary data. A common misconception is thinking "step count and weight data is not important information," but changes in health data over time can be used to infer chronic conditions and lifestyle habits, potentially being exploited for insurance fraud and targeted advertising abuse.

My Number Portal and Health Insurance Card Management

As the use of My Number cards as health insurance cards progresses, the account security of My Number Portal is also becoming increasingly important. Since medication information and specific health checkup information are linked to My Number Portal, login passwords need sufficient strength. Set a strong password generated by Passtsuku.com and update it regularly.

To understand the security design of the My Number system, digital ID and personal data management guides (Amazon)can be helpful.

What to Do When a Medical Data Breach Occurs

If a data breach is reported at a medical service you use, take the following steps promptly. Delays in response directly lead to expanded damage. Please also refer to the data breach response guide.

• Immediately change the password for the affected service (generate a new password on Passtsuku.com)
• Also change other services where the same password was reused
• Enable two-factor authentication
• Check for suspicious insurance claims or medical service usage
• Contact medical institutions or insurers as needed to confirm the extent of damage
• Inquire with credit bureaus to check for credit damage from identity theft

An easily overlooked edge case is that leaked medical data may be exploited years later. Unlike credit cards, medical data has no expiration date, so you need to continue monitoring for fraudulent insurance claims and unauthorized use of medical services for an extended period after a breach.

Security Habits Healthcare Workers Should Practice

Healthcare workers, as individuals with access privileges to patient data, are required to have higher security awareness. Always set unique strong passwords for work accounts and completely separate them from personal accounts. When using shared terminals, always lock the screen when leaving your seat and make it a habit to end sessions.

Protecting medical data is built on both technical and human measures. With strong passwords generated by Passtsuku.com as the foundation, combine two-factor authentication, minimization of access privileges, and regular security education to protect patients' important medical information.

What You Can Do Right Now

1. Change your telemedicine service password to 20 characters or more on Passtsuku.com and enable two-factor authentication
2. Set unique strong passwords for health management app accounts (pedometer, blood pressure tracker, medication management)
3. Update your My Number Portal login password to a strong one generated by Passtsuku.com
4. Check health management app permission settings and restrict access to unnecessary data
5. Delete accounts for unused medical services to reduce the attack surface

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the risks if medical data is leaked?

Medical data includes medical history, prescriptions, and insurance information. If leaked, it can be exploited for insurance fraud or identity-based medical visits. Unlike financial data, it is difficult to change, making the damage long-lasting.

What should I watch out for in password management at hospitals and clinics?

Always log out on shared terminals and never reuse personal account passwords. Set strong passwords and two-factor authentication for electronic medical record systems, and change them regularly.

What can I do as a patient to protect my medical data?

Set a unique strong password for patient portals and enable two-factor authentication. Regularly review medical bills and check for any unfamiliar treatment records as an effective safeguard.